"The CRLT Players performance really conveyed the message that our student population is extremely diversified. This made me think a lot more about how to be an inclusive professor, both in class and in research group."

"I am inspired to think more about teaching and how to interact with students by the performance."

"The performance illustrated in a funny, creative, and engaging way the important issues that arise during teaching."

"[The discussion following the performance] was one of the most engaged my department has had about teaching in the two decades I've been here. I think it formed terrific ground work for more to come. Thank you."

"It's compelling to see these behaviors acted out, rather than just discussing hypotheticals. It's also useful to hear and practice using the language of inclusive teaching. The session leader was really a role model in that way."

"It was valuable seeing how students can express challenges differently, thinking about how to work with anger, and hearing instructors' perspectives on different ways of taking action."

"Often people think that 'sadness' is the only thing they need to look for in terms of knowing whether or not someone might be experiencing depression-- these sketches illustrate that depressive illnesses can look very different in different people (including lack of motivation, withdrawal, and irritability/anger), and also emphasizes the importance of connecting with ever person as an individual, rather than simply as a diagnosis."

"I think you all did an incredible job in addressing some of these complex pieces involved in distressed students. Great way of incorporating these challenges and initiating conversations!"

"Providing an opportunity to think about these issues with guidance is great."

"I wish this training were mandatory! I came to fulfill course credit, but this was extremely helpful and I'll try to attend this same workshop again. Thank you!"

"It was an excellent session, thanks to your leadership! Our colleagues seemed quite engaged (by comparison with previous mentoring discussions) and it was actually quite amazing that one or the other identified with Glenn or Liz [the faculty presented in the sketch]. Very interesting!"

"The performance of Great Expectations really helped illustrate some of the absolutely crucial and cross-cutting issues we face as faculty and students. It was extremely helpful to see tham played out in such clear and vivid ways so that we could identify ourselves and the urban legends more objectively and it will surely spur multiple ongoing conversations in our department in the coming months. Bravo! And thanks!"

"I think you did a wonderful performance bringing in many aspects of faculty politics and mentoring strategies. The discussion allowed for non-judgemental advice and discussing."

"I liked the nuance of the performances-- really facilitated a useful conversation about challenges that both students and advisors face."

"I have very specific things that I am going to do next. I feel really motivated for my upcoming meetings, to get out of my rut."

"After seeing the difficulties Tyler faced [in the vignettes], it was very helpful to think both about why they happened and also how to better cope with them in the future."

"[I learned] the importance of achieving skills to facilitate discussions with students in ways that help them to feel comfortable in disclosing a disability and and explaining what kind of accommodations will be most helpful."

"Role playing was a really good approach to see what the problems are or what resolutions are in dealing with these issues."

"It was interesting to see multiple views on the same situation. It was helpful to understand that reactions to a particular situation within a department meeting often originate in back-stories that may be invisible to us as observer/participants in the same meeting. "

"This day has been eye-opening and encouraging. When we can identify the barriers to being great, we can address them. Thank you for facilitating a conversation that drove us to create solutions."

"[The session] helped me reflect on how I play into the different roles and how I react to them. It gave me strategies for better responses in the future."

"Having people at all stages of their career involved was very helpful and the play was so well constructed I could see that we identified with all different players. It gave me a chance to see a bit of myself in all the roles."

"I have discussed these issues on many occasions in other contexts. I am glad that CRLT gave us the opportunity to do it as a department. I think that's important."

"I learned about some ways that I could creatively and positively contribute to prevention of gender bias in my work setting."

"The CRLT Players very effectively made it clear that different people experience the same events in very different ways. Thus, what may be completely innocuous to one person can be very offensive to another. The sketch in particular made this clear."

"This presentation and discussion encouraged me to think a lot more about the importance of intervening early in discussions to focus and frame the issues that should (and should not) be included in a meeting."

"It was helpful to see familiar and unfamiliar dynamics play out in the language of another department and without familiar personalities and contexts."

"The interactive intervention and discussion about how to improve the conversation of the committee was very thought provoking. The actors were excellent."

"The presentation provides and vivid depiction of the behaviors that can be so problematic in the review process."

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CRLT is dedicated to the support and advancement of evidence-based learning and teaching practices and the professional development of all members of the campus teaching community. CRLT partners with faculty, graduate students, postdocs, and administrators to develop and sustain a University culture that values and rewards teaching, respects and supports individual differences among learners, and creates learning environments in which diverse students and instructors can excel.